


The Kids Are in Love

by sugarby



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Canon Compliant, Falling In Love, M/M, Relationship Study, V is his own character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-16 01:54:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18511531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarby/pseuds/sugarby
Summary: "Can you live without him?""What?""Can you?""...Yes."Dante looks sympathetic, "Most couples would rather die than be apart. They complete each other like the perfect puzzle."(OR: Dante oversees the relationship that forms between his demon hunting apprentices).





	The Kids Are in Love

**Author's Note:**

> I initially only had the last section in mind but I wanted it to have more context so ~~I stressed myself out by adding more~~.
> 
> _I haven't proofread this at all yet, but I will, promise!_

Dante's productive days begin the same way as his lethargic ones: his boots will be on the edge of his desk and he'll be reclined in his chair in the peace of his shop that lack of commission leaves. Sometimes the ceiling light will flicker in reminder of its bill that's due to be paid, and occasionally he'll play pool whenever his business partner checks in or has a paying job.

Instead of any of those, a guy walks in. Scruffy looking, twenty-something in a burgundy shirt either a cat must've dragged its claws through or someone tried resewing with their eyes shut, and the same taste in hair fashion as him, cut short but just as white. What are the chances, Dante's sense of humour starts, that he's some long-lost relative here to collect...well, nothing since Dante's flat-ass broke.

Whatever money he does make goes to bills, pizza and strawberry sundaes, and it's not the grandest life but it's enough for someone like him who hasn't the had the smoothest upbringing, put simply.

"Bathroom's back there." Dante says and points to the closed door somewhere behind him, how he greets whoever comes in until they let on that they know what the Devil May Cry business is  _really_  about.

"I want to know if I can borrow your shop's name since you're not using it."

"Who said—"

" _Please_ , a place like this?" to Dante's annoyance, the guy gives the shop an unimpressed overlook, catching the peeling paint and cracks in the walls, the crushed jukebox imploding in on itself—probably can't play any decent track as it is, which is just sad. Personally, he likes the idea of jamming to a good tune every now and then when he's getting stuck in something; the louder, the better too. "Can't possibly get any customers."

"I get plenty," Dante bullshits. "The pay just isn't always great." But that part's true.

"You don't say."

"Know what I like about observant kids like you? _Nothing_."

"You gonna let me in on this or not?"

"On what exactly?"

"Demon hunting,  _obviously_."

"You'll need training first, obviously." Dante replies because there's more to the gig than just knowing demons exist. He learned that first hand the hard way at a much younger, less experienced age, but he was ripe with untapped power. "But I'm no babysitter."

"Already got it." He moves his right arm, blue and gleaming with supernatural power, to pull down the sword from his back; he turns its handle and sparks spit from it, hinting at an added feature. 

Dante laughs. "No, you don't." He'll admit, that's interesting, but still. He summons his Rebellion sword, much bigger in comparison, and hikes it over his shoulder like it weighs nothing.

The guy scoffs lightly, puts his sword away. "Compensating for something?"

"You got a name, kid?"

"Nero."

"I'm Dante."

"That's not a bad name."

  

* * *

 

They come across another human among the mess and wreckage of Redgrave City in ruins; a human who, apparently, conspires with demons on each arm. He poetically introduces himself as a singular letter and gives nothing more about who—or  _what—_ he is.

"You can call me V."

He brings an air of finesse to battles never seen before; a confidence smoother and more  _ssstylish_  than the other demon hunters perform, the wind blowing his hair in all the right lights and showcasing him elegantly.

Nero, spectating, says, "Maybe he's not a demon."

"Maybe he's born with it, maybe it's may—"

"Oh, shut up!"

Dante whispers, "...Belline."

Speaking of his hair, his familiars are dedicated to not letting any strand be so much as brushed in the wrong direction. They work efficiently, sometimes without words and sometimes the simplest gesture conveying an entire play-by-play tactic. He's conducts a bloody orchestra; he's the maestro of the battlefield—mimics exquisite violin playing at times when he feels playful.

 

"'I heard a devil curse over the heath and the furze, mercy could be no more'." And he quotes verses, new and old, from famous dead poets and modern entertainment at particular times. Occasionally it's in place of proper answers and just as vague.

Nero reckons they're lucky, points out that he could have a much weirder kink and it could even be jeopardising.

"Don't fret," there's a smirk and purposeful lowering of voice and eyes as V, who overhears from a not-so great distance, responds. "The moment I develop a kink, I'll be sure to let you know."

Dante's enhanced hearing picks up on the sound of Nero gulping. "Well how thoughtful." He watches V walk by, then pats Nero's back in mock comfort and pokes at a cheek of his gaping mouth.

Nero slaps him away, "Lay off!"

Dante snickers; they both know full well the teasing has only just begun.

 

* * *

 

Dante sees how close they've become.

Sees the way V's slender, exhausted figure sets against Nero's like a set piece. Sees how their steps sync while they're focused on what's directly ahead of a ominously long path. Sees their partnered manoeuvring in battle, going for the same target and securing each other's backs without verbal request. Pulling and pushing where they need to like they're tethered by a feeling more prominent than words.

They even finish each other's sentences sometimes:

"We should split up—" V starts to devise.

"And cover more ground," Nero grins. "Good idea."

Dante eventually asks what's going on.

Nero dedicates his reason to wanting to protect V, "I know what it's like to not have strength."

Dante pats his shoulder—seemingly in good faith—and pretends it's absolutely unrelated to how Nero's always staring at V. And sometimes, it looks like, V's smirking behind the book, enjoying it. 

Dante can't articulate their relationship so he doesn't try. Just goes with "They made eyes at each other and presto." in his usual demeanour of nonchalance and amusement. But an enthusiast for the depth of every feeling imaginable _and more_ can put a better spin on it. Maybe they'll say it happened the way day turns to night and how the seasons come and pass by: eventually, with grace, then hitting all of a sudden in realisation that time was mostly spent in admiration, in just being.

Dante doesn't know about love but he knows about loss and demons, and his human heart plunges in the despair he fears is around the corner.

 

* * *

 

It's too strong a demon they're fighting and too much dark magic V's using for too long a time. At some point he loses his familiars completely, has to crawl on hands and knees and fight for them back.

The fear is real now.

Nero knows without looking that Dante thinks he might not make it. 'Screw that!', Nero lets V lean on again—like he always will for as long as he can, promising, "I'm not letting you die."

 

* * *

 

"Hey, we need to stop a sec."

Dante sighs. He was afraid of this, of extra party members slowing down his usual momentum of going in guns blazing and slicing demons. By himself, he would've been done before lunch. "Take five and catch up when you're ready but I can't wait."  
  
"It's V. I think he's...he just needs a minute."  
  
Dante gets it, he really does, but they're on a time limit. "Every second we waste is a second another human could be killed."  
  
"I know that but—"  
  
"I had a feeling I should be handling this on my own."  
  
" _Fuck you_ , don't treat me like some deadweight, you asshole!"  
  
"Getting riled up can get you killed."  
  
"He fucking took  _my right arm_ , Dante!"  
  
"And I'll ask for it back.  _When_  that doesn't work, I'll do my usual trick and kick his ass." he starts walking to the edge again when he's called and that's as much as he can take, slamming his sword down with more patience lost. "What?! You knew the deal when you walked in to my shop. You knew what I was, what I did for a living and that it sometimes meant leaving behind the things you care about."  
  
"He's come this far with us and he's gonna make it to the end!"

Dante's known for a long time that getting close to people would always have it's consequences, and thought Nero understood that too. "Jeez, you really are head over heels for him."

"And, so what?!" Nero snaps and tenses. They've never worded what's between them like that—never known this feeling to accurately call it that. "I just want to check in with him before we go any further."  
  
"But you don't love him."  
  
"The fuck would you know?!"  
  
"I may be the world's hottest bachelor but even I know what star crossed lovers look like, and it's not you two. I know V's mysterious and that's kinda cool but he's still—"  
  
"Still _what_?! Don't sell him so short, Dante, like you did with me!"  
  
"Always coming back to that, aren't you?"  
  
"V's known that using all that power saps him of energy but he kept fighting with us. His heart is as strong as yours or mine and we need to let him rest."  
  
"Because you love him."

Nero clicks his tongue. Is that always going to be used against him now? Something pure and good being listed as a bad thing? "Because it's the decent thing to do."   
  
"Can you live without him?"

" _What_?"

"Can you?"  
  
"...Yes."  
  
Dante looks sympathetic, "Well most couples would rather die than be apart. They complete each other like the perfect puzzle."

So he's seen in movies, read in magazines and heard are in YA novels from Patty when she's stopped by and talked on and on about them. He has no personal experience to rely on but when he gathers what little he does know, it makes sense to him. He guesses his parents felt the same—enough for daddy dearest to forsake his heritage.  
  
"That sounds like codependency to me. A partner should be like an equal that adds to the feeling of being complete, not a necessity." Nero wonders if what he's saying makes as much sense out loud as it does in his own head. It's uncharted territory but where his feelings are concerned, he knows them well enough. "You're asking if I can live without V and the answer is yes, but I hope that day never comes."

Dante hums, nods, pats Nero's shoulder.

Nero relaxes, shoulders slowly settling.

Dante crouches in front of V. For the first time, he can properly see the state he's in: the cracks between his skin, the heaviness of his shaky breaths. V coughs and tells him he has to go on and Dante can't help but laugh, feeling ambushed between his apprentices. "Believe me, I wanted to be there five minutes ago, but" He glances back at Nero. "Your boyfriend's being a hard-ass."

V exhales a loose chuckle and strains to smile, "He can be quite stubborn, it's true."

"Your call, V. Tell me what you think we should do."

V looks to Nero, "I can understand. We're the same, you and I. For so long I've wanted what you've given me...but I cannot allow any selfish desires to obstruct our goal. 'The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."

Nero throws his hands up, "See what you did, Dante? Now he's quoting Star Wars as his dying words."

" _Star Trek_. I ought to be ashamed of you."

" _I'm ashamed_  of  _both_  of you." Dante says. "But right now, we got bigger fish to fry. V, can you move?"

V braces himself with his hands and pushes but gives up after the struggle, strained and even more exhausted. "It seems unlikely. Forget about me."

" _Shut up_." Nero instantly rejects that—it's not even an option. "I look away for a second and you'll be some demon's dinner 'cause you were busy reading again."

"Maybe but I fear it is _you_ who needs supervising. With or without your right arm, you're quite a handful."

"Didn't your mother ever teach you it's not nice to tease your boyfriend?"

"I suppose you'll have to  _thoroughly discipline me_."

"Nah, I think you'd enjoy it too much."

"Hey, you guys hear that?" Dante asks. "Yeah, that's the sound of me losing my appetite." He'd honestly rather vacation in hell than listen to their sensual flirting.

"V's gonna be fine with some rest. Humans are tougher than you think. " Nero keeps a hand on V's in support and to stop him from trying to move. "In the mean time, make sure you leave enough demon ass for me to kick."

"You drive a hard bargain but I think I can manage. See you in a little bit." Dante walks on ahead; he makes sure to glance back, sees V cradle Nero's face close, lips moving to likely reassure and praise between kisses, and Nero nods to whatever he hears while he strokes platinum hair that's already starting to darken.

 _'They'll be alright'_ , Dante believes.

**Author's Note:**

> I was stuck on what to call this but I was so close to titling it _'Dante The Legendary ~~Demon Hunter~~ Third Wheel' (─▽─)_.


End file.
